News & Events

2013

Baltimore Pirate Festival

June 21st - 23rd 2013

Shenanigans will begin with an evening of shanties, music and food on Friday June 21st, at 7.30 pm in the Baltimore Sailing Club.

Following on from its success last year, the Master of Cermony will oversee the activities and events of this family fun weekend. For the energetic visitor there is sailing, kayaking, powerboating, whalewatching, guided walks and rivercruises, all hosted by local people who clearly love what they do. Alternatively stay onland and visit Dun na Sead, the restored 13th Century Ango-Norman castle, stroll through the garden, great hall and its pirate exhibition and experience the magnificent views from the battlements. Children can search for treasure amongst the waterside amphitheatre and gardens in The Glebe or jump ship on a pirate bouncy castle. The local drama group preforms a play by Rupert Stutchbury called "We who are blameless" depicting the story leading up to the Sack of Baltimore in 1631 every evening at 8pm in the Castle.

Baltimore Pirate Festival offers a choice of enjoyable family entertainment over the weekend of June 21st to 23rd. Celebrate Baltimore's unique cultural and maritime history with activities, drama, singing old shanties, choir and North African dance, Pirate ship bouncy castle, guided pirate walk, treasure hunt, best dressed pirate parade, dance, music and food, boat trips and cruises and much much more. Visitors are booking to attend from the UK, America and Canada for the festival which is part of this year's "Gathering of Ireland"

Special offers - Amazing recession beating offers including sailing on a luxuary yacht, a river cruise up the Ilen estuary, marine nature tours and whale watching, snorkling in caves, sea kayking and fast boat rides.

The event is being organised by Explore Baltimore (cooperative Marketing Group) www.baltimore.ie/explorebaltimore . Further information from Rianne at aquaventures.ie

Drama Production of The Sack of Baltimore

Baltimore drama group will perform a play by Rupert Stutchbury called "We who are blameless" which depicts the story leading up to "The Sack of Baltimore" in 1631. This will take place in Baltimore castle towards the end of June during the pirate weekend and the O' Driscoll clan gathering.

O'Driscoll clan gathering 28th - 30th June 2013

The O'Driscoll clan gathering this year, by all accounts, will be bigger and better than ever in this year of the Gathering. Registration, as usual, will take place at Dun na Sead castle, on Friday 28th June, where all O'Driscolls, O'Driscoll look-alikes and descendants of O'Driscolls will be more than welcome! The O'Driscills gathering this year, will include the leftover O'Driscolls from their participation in the Pirate festival the previous weekend. The weekend affair will be packed with conviviality and joviality as usual!

2012

Pirate seminar

Dún na Séad castle, Baltimore

Saturday 30th June,2012 2.30pm

Speakers:

Des Ekin, assistant editor with the SundayWorld and author of The Stolen Village will discuss the ‘Sack of Baltimore’ in 1631.

Connie Kelleher, Underwater Archaeologist with the Dept. of the Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht’s Underwater Unit will discuss piracy in southwest Ireland in the seventeenth century.